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Atrazine
Heather Taylor
Dr. Kim Landsbergen
Columbus College of Art and Design
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Abstract
This research paper explores the pesticide Atrazine. Atrazine which was first introduced
in 1958 is a triazine herbicide that is registered for the use to control weeds by inhibiting
photosynthesis. It is one of the most widely used pesticides in the U.S, that is applied before and
after planting crops to control grassy weeds. It is a colorless powered or white crystalline solid
and it is applied as a dry flow able liquid and other methods. Used most heavily in the Midwest,
during the spring planting season between April through June. It is classified by U.S EPA as a
“Class C” carcinogen.
Atrazine is used on agricultural sites on crops such as, corn, wheat, hay and sugarcane. It
is applied annually to an average of over 76.4 million pounds; approximately 80% of that is used
on corn alone. Corn is not affected much by Atrazine, because it contains enzymes that detoxify
the chemical (Examination of land use, by Christopher Reichmn, 1999). Atrazine is applied by
using many methods, for example a few ways are by a ground boom sprayer, by aircraft or a
tractor-drawn spreader. It is used most heavily in Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and
Nebraska. This herbicide is also used on non-agricultural sites, such as golf courses, residential
lawns, Christmas trees and recreational areas.
This herbicide has brought up many conflicts with potential effects to human health, what
they are and how they can be prevented. In contrast of what the Environmental Protection agency
(EPA) has stated in previous paragraphs, with a low acute toxicity and based on all the available
test data, Atrazine is not likely to be a human carcinogen. The environmental association states
that their concern for Atrazine reflects potential hormonal effects observed in laboratory animals
but only associated with a short term exposure of the pesticide. The most commonly detected
pesticide in surface water is Atrazine, occurring frequently in streams, rivers and groundwater.
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In additional to harm to humans, there are also negative affects to animals as well.
Amphibians, frogs to be exact are becoming greatly affected because of Atrazine. Amphibians
absorb pollutants and pesticides flow through waterways. It might not kill the frog directly but it
leads to sickness, which then could lead to extinction. Also, it affects the reproductive organs of
frogs with some males growing ovaries. Frogs eat flies, mosquitoes and other pests like ticks,
that carry diseases that we do not want to pertain. They are an important food source for other
larger wildlife species as well.
Atrazine in our drinking water reveals disturbing high levels that were recorded more
than ninety percent of the samples taken in 139 water systems in 2003 and 2004; according to the
natural resources defense council (NRDC). The public health is a growing concern, since
Atrazine is the most commonly detected pesticide in American groundwater. According to
NRDC’s 2010 analysis of the most recent EPA data, drinking water in 67 public systems had
peak Atrazine levels above 3 parts per billion, with one as high as 60 ppb in Ohio.
In Ohio, the last twenty years of data show a decline in the amount of Atrazine in Ohio
watersheds. This is attributed to application changes that have been made on the pesticide label;
according to NRDC. There are over two hundred sites chosen from across the U.S for enhanced
monitoring, that have regular Atrazine usage. Ohio potentially has only about ten percent of
these two hundred sites. There are eight sites considered to be top priority, none of which
thankfully are Ohio.
There are debates about what farmers are doing with Atrazine. Some farmers in Ohio are
happy with Atrazine saying that is is the most economical pesticide for them to use. It always to
use a product that they feel is safe for many years. Long term, mutli-generational farming it is
important to keep crops producing for future generations. Most farmers are saying that there is
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nothing wrong with Atrazine; they are saying it can leech through the soil to the underground to
the groundwater, obviously this is not a good thing, and “safe as table salt” is how they are
looking at it.
With all this said, what is being done? Who is doing something about this strong
herbicide? With pesticides used correctly they are said to be “okay”. With proof that Atrazine is
causing changes in the hormones of frogs, and other amphibians there is a rising of debate on
what should be done.
There are recommendations for protecting human health and the environment against
Atrazine. According to NRDC there are several steps that can be taken to eliminate Atrazine use;
Farmers should take steps to reduce their use of it and switching to more nonchemical techniques
for weed control. The EPA should monitor all watersheds that might be vulnerable. The public
could use home water filtration systems and demand information from their water utilities. Any
concerned consumers could have a simple and economical household certified filter, for example
one that fits over their faucet tap. Atrazine is a pesticide of concern; it is listed as an ohio
contaminant of concern as a pesticide is a Federally Restricted Use Herbicide (Bioconcentrations
in cladophora glomerata and orconcetese propinquus 1996).
In ecology we are learning a handful about pesticides and how they are affecting our
environment and food intake. In one of our lectures we discussed how some plants have actually
grown resistant to pesticides. The toxicity of pesticides has ridden to compete with pests.
Pesticides also kill no target organisms including predators and parasites of pests, leading to
populations becoming harder to control.
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